


Her Little Family

by Dreamin



Series: Lord Anthony's Sweetheart [3]
Category: Bridgerton (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Married Couple, New Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-13
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-12 21:09:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29391021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dreamin/pseuds/Dreamin
Summary: Anthony is not like other fathers and Penelope wants to know why.
Relationships: Anthony Bridgerton/Penelope Featherington
Series: Lord Anthony's Sweetheart [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2158800
Comments: 16
Kudos: 116





	Her Little Family

**Author's Note:**

  * For [afteriwake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/gifts).



> Inspired by a prompt from afteriwake.
> 
> This is a sequel to _There's Something About Penelope_ and _All The Time In The World_.

Barely awake, Penelope reached out to her husband but found the other side of the bed empty. She opened her eyes and looked around the darkened room but there was no sign of Anthony. _Maybe he’s relieving himself?_ When he didn’t return for several minutes, she became concerned and was about to get up and look for him when he came into the room, smiling to himself, then stopping when he saw her.

“Did I wake you?” he asked gently.

“Not really, I woke up and you weren’t there.”

“Ah.” He took off his robe then got into bed. “I was just seeing to Edmund.” Their son was three months old and was as loved, and as spoiled, as any baby could be.

“Is something wrong?” _He didn’t bring him in so that must mean he’s not hungry._

“He’s fine, sweetheart,” Anthony murmured, “he just needed a new nappy.”

Penelope frowned in confusion. “I thought we agreed the nanny would do the nappy changes at night.”

“We did,” he said, yawning, then he laid down and held out an arm to her. “It’s no trouble, really.”

Still confused, she curled up with him, her head on his shoulder, and he held her close. She was about to ask him what he meant when she heard his soft, even breathing. _He’s asleep. I’ll ask him tomorrow._

* * *

The next morning, between making love then having a late breakfast, Penelope didn’t get a chance to ask Anthony before he left to do some business at the bank. So instead, she went to the nursery.

The nanny curtsied and smiled at her as she held young Edmund, who was getting fussy. “Good morning, my lady. I was just going to bring him to you.”

Penelope smiled back. “Good morning, Beth.” She gently took the baby and smiled at him lovingly. “Good morning, Edmund. Time for breakfast, is it? We’ll get right on that, I just want to talk to Nanny Beth first.” The baby still fussed and she held him to her shoulder, where he calmed down a bit.

“Is something wrong?” Beth asked worriedly.

“No, no,” Penelope assured her quickly, “everything’s fine, I’m just … curious about who’s taking care of the baby at night.”

“Oh! Lord Bridgerton often comes in late at night, changes Master Edmund’s nappy, then takes him out of the nursery and brings him back an hour or so later. He never told me why, not that I would dare to ask him, but both of them seem happy when he comes back.”

“Hmm. I’ll ask him about it.” She smiled down at her son, who was fussing again. “Let’s get you fed.”

* * *

That afternoon, Penelope hosted a luncheon at Bridgerton House for some of the other matrons of the _ton_. She’d hoped it would be a chance for them to simply enjoy each other’s company without the competitiveness _(Bitchiness, Penelope. Let’s call a spade a spade.)_ of the usual high society events.

Of course, that was before one of the ladies brought Cressida along.

“There you are, Penelope,” Cressida said, smirking, as she approached her, full plate in hand. “I didn’t see you when I arrived, but then you always were hard to spot in a crowd.”

“Hello, Cressida,” Penelope said sweetly, ignoring her barb and calculating in her head how much time and effort it would take for the poor maids to clean up the mess should Cressida “accidentally” spill something. _I can give them a little extra money this week._

“How is your Anthony? Where is he, anyway?” She looked around the room then glanced out the door and into the hall before turning back to her. “I would think he’d want to guide his wife through something like this. You really haven’t hosted many events, have you? You’ve been married what, three years now? And you still need all the assistance you can get.”

Penelope bit back the retort she wanted to say – “Anthony would much rather make love to me than host some party.” – in favor of “We prefer to host small family events, but I can usually convince him to let us have a ball every Season. As for the moment, it’s the middle of the day, Cressida – he’s in his study.” If her patience slipped a bit at the end, who could blame her?

Violet came over, smiling a bit. “Avoiding the invasion, no doubt.” She drew Cressida into a conversation about gowns, giving Penelope a chance to escape.

She made her way over to some of the nicer ladies of the ton, all of them mothers and a few years older than her. They included her in their discussion about children.

“I don’t know what I would have done without the nanny,” one of them said. “She was a godsend.” All of the other ladies murmured their appreciation of their children’s nannies. “All of those late nights.”

“Anthony takes care of Edmund at night sometimes,” Penelope said, still unsure of what to make of it.

“That’s highly unusual,” another of the ladies said. “Of course, it’s unusual for a father to have anything to do with a baby, but at night? Why doesn’t he let the nanny handle things?”

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I haven’t had a chance to ask him.”

Lady Danbury, who was keeping up with multiple conversations at once, smiled a bit. “He probably wants time with his son away from any women.”

Penelope smiled. “I’m sure you’re right, Lady Danbury.”

The older woman smirked. “I usually am.”

* * *

That night, Penelope was just drifting off when there was a light knock on the door.

“I’ll get it,” Anthony murmured before getting up and pulling his robe on over his nightshirt. He left the room and then came back smiling happily, a fussy Edmund in his arms. “He’s hungry again.”

She couldn’t help smiling softly at her little family as she sat up. Anthony handed her the baby then arranged the pillows behind her while she one-handedly unbuttoned the bodice of her nightdress. Edmund latched onto her nipple with very little help from her and was soon nursing hungrily.

Anthony sat down beside her then lightly ran a finger over the baby’s sparse brown hair, his gaze so soft. She smiled at him lovingly and when he looked at her, he smiled back then kissed her softly.

Penelope kissed him back then murmured, “Can I ask you something?”

He chuckled softly. “Always, sweetheart.”

“Why do you tend to him at night?”

“I like having time with him, just the two of us,” he murmured. “If he’s not hungry, I’ll just sit by the fire and tell him about his namesake, our families, the pocket watch he’ll get on his eighth birthday and not a day sooner.”

Penelope giggled softly at that, already thinking about what kind of watch she wanted to buy him to replace it. “Dare I ask what you tell him about his Featherington relatives?”

Anthony grinned. “I tell him I’ll leave it up to you.”

She grinned back. “I see.”

His smile softened. “I also tell him his mother is the most beautiful, loving, intelligent, and resourceful woman in the world.”

Penelope had to blink away happy tears then she murmured, “After you put him to bed, what do you say we start trying for a second one, Lord Bridgerton?”

Anthony murmured, his eyes dancing, “You read my mind, Lady Bridgerton.”


End file.
